Meet Sara
Dr. Sara Norton is a postdoctoral researcher specializing in psychoneuroimmunology, a field that explores how the immune system influences the brain, and how this affects behavior, cognition, and mood.
Sara’s current project focuses on understanding immune activation in older adults. She studies the immune system’s response to an inflammatory challenge (an endotoxin called LPS), which triggers a strong immune reaction. Additionally, she examines how this reaction is controlled by dexamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticoid similar to the body’s stress hormone cortisol. Sara’s research aims to uncover how these immune responses and their regulation are linked to physical and mental health changes as people age.
Sara earned her PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience from Rutgers University and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from American University.
Outside of the lab, Sara enjoys crafting and she is currently learning how to crochet and make chainmail. She loves gardening, swimming, and reading cozy mysteries.
